Miter square



UNITED STATES Patented Oct. 21, 1941 ffm',

PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in miter squares, and its generalobject is to provide a device of this character which will give the truemiter cut for all angles, either inside or outside corners, and in whichthe laterally extending arms may be locked at any desired angle by theuse of a single locking member.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device of the characterdescribed, particularly adapted for use by architects, carpenters,draftsmen, mechanics, etc., which readily lends itself to a number ofuses, and which is economical to manufacture, which can be folded sothat it occupies very little space when not in use, and which mayreadily be carried in the pockets of the clothing, if desired.

With these and other objects in view, as will hereinafter more fullyappear and which will be more particularly pointed out in the appendedclaims, reference is now made to the accompanying drawing forming a partof this application, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation view of my improved miter square, showing thelaterally extending arms at right angles in full lines, other positionsof the arms being shown in dotted lines;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section View, taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section view, taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1.

Referring now to the drawing, in which similar reference charactersrepresent similar parts, the numeral I represents a ruler, forming oneside of the square, which may be constructed of any suitable material,such as metal, wood, or any of the well known plastics or the like. Thebottom of the ruler IE! is iiat and at right angles to the sides andedges, as shown at I2, while the top of the ruler is rounded, as shownat I4 in the dotted lines of Fig. 1. The ruler I0 is provided with acentral, longitudinal slot I6, which extends to points just adjacenteither end thereof. Suitable rivets or the like, I8, are slidablyengaged in the slot IB, and are pivotally secured to arms and 22,through openings near the inner ends thereof, which inner ends arerounded Aas shown at 24. Appropriate actuating members 28 and 30, whichalso act as braces for the arms 2l) yand 22, are also pivotally engagedat one end thereof to each other and to slot I6 by means of rivets orthe like I8. The other end of member 28 is pivotally secured to thecenter of arm 20 by rivets I8, while the other end of member 30 ispivotally secured and adapted to be locked to the center of arm 22 bymeans of threaded bolt 32 and wing nut 34. Both ends of members 28 and30 are rounded, in order that they may not extend over the edges of arms20 land 22 and ruler I0, regardless of the angle of the arms. Arm 20 isprovided with a protractor 36, which is preferably graduated in degreesfor a ready determination of the desired angle.

It will be apparent from the foregoing and from the drawing that both ofthe laterally extending arms and their actuating members or bra-ces areall inter-connected to each other and to the longitudinal slot in theruler. Thus, nut 34 being loosened, the arms may readily be moved to thedesired position, the nut tightened, and the instrument is set for useand the angle thus formed cannot be changed until the nut is againloosened. It will be obvious, of course, that the ruler may be moved ina longitudinal direction through the angle thus formed, or that the armsand connected actuating members may be moved along the ruler, asdesired, without changing the angle, by reason of the sliding connectionof the arms and actuating members in the longitudinal slot in the ruler.Since the arms and braces move in unison, the angle formed by each armis uniform. It will be obvious, therefore, that any desired angle may bemarked or cut, either inside or outside corners.

While I have illustrated and described the invention in some detail, itis to be understood that the invention is not to .be limited to suchdetails, but only by the spirit of the invention and the scope of theappended claims.

I claim:

1. A miter square of the character described, comprising .a ruler, alongitudinal slot in said ruler, right and left laterally extending armspivotally connected to each other through said slot, actuating memberspivotally secured to said arms and to each other through said slot,means for locking said arms and said actuating members at any desiredangle by a single locking member, and means for moving the said arms andactuating members longitudinally of the said ruler.

2. A miter square of the character described, comprising a ruler, alongitudinal slot in said ruler, right and left laterally extending armspivotally connected to each other through said slot, actuating memberspivotally secured to said arms and to each other through said slot,means for locking said arms and said actuating members at any desiredangle by a locking member, and means for moving the said arms and,actuating members longitudinally of the ruler while said angle ismaintained.

3. A miter square of the character described, said arms, means rforlocking said arms and said comprising a ruler, a longitudinal slot insaid actuating members at any desired angle by a ruler, right and leftlaterally extending arms locking member, and means for movin-g the saidpivotally connected to each other through said arms and actuatingmembers longitudinally of slot, actuating members pivotally secured tosaid 5 the ruler While sai-d angle is maintained. rarms and to eachother through said slot, a protractor affixed to and forming a part ofone of FRED D. COOPER.

